page_title: Orders, decorations, and medals of Finland
section_title: Medals and decorations
hierarchical_section_title: Orders, decorations, and medals of Finland / Medals and decorations
caption_attribution_description: Suomi: Tullilaitoksen ansioristi soljen kera English: Cross of Merit of Finnish Customs, with a clasp
context_page_description: The orders, decorations and medals of Finland form a system through which the Finnish government shows its respect to persons who have distinguished themselves on some walk of life. The legal basis of the system is the Act on the displays of public recognition which grants the president the authority to issue decrees on orders, medals and titles.
  The system is divided into three groups:
  orders
  medals and decorations
  titles
context_section_description: The individual areas of government have usually a separate awards system designed to show respect for those persons who do not qualify for an order. Such medals are founded by a presidential decree. Most typically, they include one or two classes: a cross and a medal. Thus far, the following medals have been founded 
  The medal of merit of motor transport
  The medals of merit of customs service
  The crosses and medals of merit of Finnish sports and culture of physical exercise
  The Olympic cross (1st and 2nd class) and medal of merit
  The cross and medals of merit of Finnish Red Cross
  Life saving medal
  The memorial medal of the "War of Liberation", i.e. to the participants of the Troops of the Republic of Finland (Whites) in the Finnish Civil War (1918)
  The memorial medal of the Winter War (1939-1940)
  The memorial medal of the Continuation War (1941-1944) and Lapland War (1944-1945)
  Mine clearance medal
  Medal for humane benevolence (Pro Benignitate Humana)
  The cross of merit of the invalids of war
  The cross and medal of merit of police
  The cross and medal of merit of Finnish Border Guard
  The badge of merit of fire prevention
  The 1st and 2nd classes of the medal of merit of civil defence
  The cross of merit of prison service
  The cross of merit of customs service, with or without a clasp
  The military merit medal
  The golden medal of merit of Suomen Reserviupseeriliitto (Finnish reserve officers' association)
  Guild metal of merit
  The cross of merit of Reserviläisliitto – Reservin Aliupseerien Liitto (Reservists' association – Reserve NCOs' association)
  The medal of merit of Insinööriupseeriliitto (Engineer Officers' association)
  The medal of merit of Kadettikunta (Cadet Corps)
  The medal of merit of traffic safety branch
  The special medal of merit of work for working environment
  In addition, there is a state decoration for 30 years of service of state. The corresponding decorations of the Central Chamber of Commerce and City of Helsinki the League of Finnish Municipalities are also approved for use with the official decorations. Other decorations of private bodies may only be used privately.
  The awarding body of the medals and crosses of merits varies. Although the decorations are founded by the president, the awarding body is usually the chief of the authority in question, i.e. a minister or a high-level civil servant.
caption: The cross of merit of customs service with a clasp, a typical Finnish branch-specific cross of merit. The cross is awarded by the minister responsible for customs for distinguished service or contributions to the customs service. A cross with a clasp may be awarded in special cases.
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